At What Cost?
by Xaphrin
Summary: Link discovers he has been betrothed to Ilia since birth, but before he can wed her, he is called to Twilight to help restore order after a violent uprising. While there, he rediscovers a love he thought was lost, and loses a love he always had.


**At What Cost?**

A Midna and Link Fan-fiction

)O(

**Important Author's Note:** You may have read this before. Previously titled "Union Dues" and probably one of the worst pieces to come from my computer, I didn't do justice to the game, to the characters, and to the reader. It was awful. It was terrible, and after over four years of it constantly bothering me (and a renewed faith and interest in _Zelda_ after the release of _Skyward Sword_), I decided to rewrite it.  
>It was one of my favorite story lines to write, and I failed miserably. I cheated the reader out of something, and that isn't fair. Not to me, and not to you. So, that being said, I fully intend to try again. If it doesn't work a second time, then maybe this fandom just isn't for me. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you on the other side.<p>

)O(

**Prologue**

The small room was filled with the pungent odor of moist earth and clay pots. The ground was warped under Mayor Bo's feet, uneven from years of wear and storage. Grunting and mumbling, he sat down on a small, wooden trunk and contemplated exactly what he was doing. Bo was a wise man, and he understood there could be no action without an equal and opposite reaction. So, if he followed through with this document's plans, what repercussions would there be?

Ilia's birthday had been several days ago, and while there had been some small celebration, Bo was forced to come to a frightening and startling realization: Ilia was a woman now. She was no longer a child, according to village customs, and that meant… that meant… He sighed and leaned back against the earthen walls, fighting the weighted feeling in his chest.

He had been stupid in making that promise so many years ago. He was a young father, mourning his wife lost in child birth, and had no understanding of the way things changed. He couldn't push past his immediate pain to see that the future wasn't always clear, and that sometimes people change.

Like Link.

Neither of the children knew their future, or even knew of that moldy document nearly rotted in Bo's storage cellar. They grew and learned and played with each other, like best friends should. But was that all they were? Best friends? Bo cursed and ran a hand over his face, feeling something akin to desperation sink into his old bones.

Link had changed drastically since he left the village three years ago. He returned from his quest as a man, strong, noble, courageous… but even still… there was a darkness in his kind eyes, an empty void that Bo knew all too well. It was the kind of look a man got when he lost something dear to him. When he lost a love.

Bo also knew that void would never be filled. Oh, you could try to fill it with friends and family and even children, and maybe you would mostly succeed in banishing the emptiness, but you never would _fully_ succeed. It would stay there, in your soul, and fester like an open wound. And if Link had such a wound in him, could Bo _really_ promise Ilia to a life where she was left pining after something that was hers, but wasn't? No father wanted to see his daughter in such a state.

But that _stupid_ promise. It was legal as law, and with no parents of Link's, he had no choice in backing out of it. No hope in trying to talk sense and reason. All he had was a stupid document telling the world that Link and Ilia were to be married.

)O(

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you never left?"

Link started and looked over at Ilia, lips tugging down in a frown. "I try not to. If I hadn't left I wouldn't have gotten you back safely. And you still wouldn't remember me…" He shifted under her heavy stare and moved to the other side of Epona, gently washing her coat. "But… yes… the thought crossed my mind." Epona nuzzled his neck in appreciation, and Link scratched behind her ears. "What brought that up all the sudden?"

"Oh… nothing." Ilia looked over Epona's back and caught his eye. There was another long pause before she blushed a little and looked away. "It's just… next month it will be three years since you left Ordon. I… I've been thinking about it."

"I wish you wouldn't." Link tried to focus on Epona, and desperately tried to block out any memories that had to do with his quest, or more precisely, Midna. It wasn't going to do him any good, Ilia had already stirred up those feelings. Midna had left him, but Hyrule was safe, Twilight was safe, and in the end, that was all that mattered. Link's emotions were inconsequential in the grand scheme. At least, that was what he kept telling himself.

"You always tell me that." Ilia sighed and moved Epona toward the grassy area surrounding the pool. "You always tell me not to ask and not to worry and not to think about you. But you put yourself in so much danger that I can't avoid it." She put her hands on her hips and stared at him. "You can't boss me around like a child anymore, Link. I'm a woman now."

Link felt a small smile peel across his lips. "Yes… unfortunately."

"Unfortunately!" Ilia reached down and whipped her hand through the pool he was standing in. Water splashed all over him and he laughed, which only seemed to irritate Ilia more. She splashed more water at him, but it didn't stop the laughing. Sometimes, she was just too easy to tease. "You're terrible, Link!"

He held his hands in front of his face to stop another onslaught of water. "Awe, come on, Ilia… it was just a joke."

"Joke? You always tease me like that!" Ilia pushed herself forward and tackled Link around his midsection, throwing him off balance and sending him into the pool. There was a wave of laughter from the two as they wrestled for control, which finally ended in Ilia straddling his hips and glaring. "I win."

Link felt color flood his face as he stared up at her. The air around them turned sticky and thick with emotions, and Link swallowed a lump that had grown in his throat. What _was_ this feeling? It was painful and heavy, and it seemed to fill his chest until he couldn't breathe. Ilia's teasing expression faded into something serious and she leaned down a little, just enough so that her lips were barely brushed his.

Fire burned in Link's chest and he closed his eyes, that seemed to be the polite thing to do. Was she really going to kiss him? They had been best friends since birth, but never once had they actually… _kissed._ They always avoided it, and it never seemed to be a problem. But knowing that Ilia was a woman now… suddenly everything seemed painfully different.

"I wish you would talk to me more, Link…"

His eyes flew open, and he stared up into her eyes. She looked… _sad_, as if she was realizing something painful for the first time. That heavy feeling in his chest seemed to dissipate, and she pulled away, giving them both space to breathe.

"You're my best friend, Ilia… I…" Whatever response he had seemed to die on his tongue, and he turned away, frowning. He couldn't tell her the truth, he could barely admit it to himself. He sighed and met her gaze again. "I'm sorry."

She smiled, but it didn't seem to reach her eyes. "Me too." There was a long silence between them, and then she seemed to perk up, flashing a brighter smile and rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "Sorry about all this seriousness… I don't know what came over me! Come on, Link it's getting late." She stumbled off of him and made her way toward the edge of the pool, wringing out her clothes and hair as she walked.

Link sighed and lay there, staring at the darkening sky, twilight was coming. He hated twilight. It was a daily reminder of everything he left behind and of everything he could no longer have. He shook his head and started toward Ilia, who was busy spoiling Epona. She tilted her head to the side and smiled at Link, and that weird, heavy feeling in his chest started again. What _was _that? It wasn't anger or despair or unhappiness… but it just felt _strange_. He sighed and followed Ilia down the path toward town.

"Hey… Link?"

He jerked a little, pulled from his thoughts, and looked towards her. Her lips moved as she talked, but Link couldn't seem to focus. She looked beautiful bathed in the orange-red light of sunset, and it was easy to see that she really _was _no longer a child. They were both grown now… maybe… now… Link shook his head and cleared any rogue thoughts. She was his friend, his _best friend_. That wasn't an option, and besides, he loved… Link sighed. That wasn't an option either. He should just accept that there was no happy ending in store for him. Not ever.

"… are you even listening to me?"

He cringed and looked over at her again, pulling himself from his thoughts. "Sorry… I got lost for a second."

"… Clearly." Ilia shook her head and took a few steps ahead of him. "Come on, Link. I want to get back to the village before morning at least. Stop dawdling, you're taking forever!"

His face fell and he started after her. What a cheeky woman. She picked up her pace, stepping into a run and still keeping ahead of him. Link felt that familiar bubble of friendly conflict rise into his chest again. She really was a great friend. Laughing, he started after her, gaining slowly as she started to wear out. That didn't mean much, she would still out-run him. In spite of all his athleticism, Link somehow managed to lose every race to her.

He followed her laughter through the trees, watching as flashes of ivory skin and golden hair slipped between the branches. Just a few more steps and he could grab her…

"Uff." Link barreled into her back, and they tumbled head over heels, stopping at the feet of her father. _Great_. Just what the mayor needed to see. Rubbing his head, he looked up at the mayor and forced a polite smile. "Sorry… I… guess we didn't see you there."

"That's all right." He offered them both a hand and pulled them to their feet. There was a long, heavy pause and Ilia and Link exchanged curious glances before looking back at her father. "I'm glad I at least ran into you two. There's something I needed to talk about. Why don't you two take care of Epona and come meet me at home?"

"Of course." Ilia took a few steps back and grabbed Epona by the reins, flashing both men a nervous smile. "I'll take care of her, Link. Why don't you follow father back to the house?" Without waiting for a response, she jumped on Epona's saddle and took off down the path, leaving Link to fend for himself against the awkward silence.

"She's a good girl."

Link looked up at Bo and nodded, but didn't respond. She _was _a good girl, the best girl. He fell into step behind Bo and listened to him prattle on about boring, neutral topics. The weather, the drought two years ago, the expected harvest, Rusl's little toddler… it was normal talk, boring and mundane, and yet there was something heavy underneath. Something that Bo was not telling Link. He stopped at the edge of town and looked up at his friend's father.

"Sir… if you don't mind me asking… what is this about?"

Bo sighed and leaned back on his heels crossing his arms over his chest. "I…" He stopped and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Link, you know that your parents and I were very good friends." Link nodded slowly, still confused. "Well… after I lost my wife… I was confused and desperate and…" He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, looking off into the distance behind Link. "We made a stupid decision, both your parents and I."

"Sir…?"

"Link… I've been meaning to tell you for a very long time but…" Bo's eyes finally met Link's, and he let out a long, slow breath. "You and Ilia have been betrothed since childhood."

There was a strange, sinking feeling in his chest as he stared up at Bo. A million thoughts swarmed around in his head, feelings and emotions he didn't even have a name for or could explain. He opened his mouth to say something, _anything_ of consequence.

"Oh."


End file.
